Beck's - Brauerei Beck & Co.

meumithink

New York

1.33/5  rDev -52%
look: 3.75 | smell: 1.25 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 1

My friends and i have been wondering why the taste has been different lately. (Not good) We now know its because becks is no longer made in germany. It's made in St. Louis. Honestly it is bad by comparison.

Becks was # 3 favorite behind bass & guinness in the world. Now... not sure if i (we) will ever buy another one.

Make that a never period. The complete lack of notification & the tiny colorless writing on the label just adds more distaste to the expirience.

Fyi.. my fav- bass ale may be selling out also. The new "bass india pale ale" is horrid. (Made in usa also). I must have had thousands of each beer ( becks, bass) but now... well it wont be helping the european economic union.

As far as describing the different taste, hhmmm? Just not sure how to put it in words. Just not as strong a tang. (Like a supermarket tomato compared to one fresh from your yard - or local farm). May be the water also. For some reason they just don't taste as clean.

Not sure when this change was made but it seemed around the time the label promo was in effect. (6 months or so we noticed the diff) It was only today we found the product of usa on the bottle. It is sad.
Thanks

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 02:21:01 | More by meumithink

filstan

2.03/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

For those that remain unaware of the fact that InBev has ceased bringing German Becks into the United States, and has chosen instead to now brew it at AB in St Louis, you will not be surprised to learn that Becks as we all knew it no longer exists. What we have now is a beer that tastes remarkably like what Budweiser/Michelob USED to taste like! This InBev insult to Becks Brauerei Bremen is almost devoid of hop aroma and character. There is malt to be sure, but it is restrained. We now have a beer for the masses that will elicit little if any comment. This is now a hot weather quencher that can sadly sit along in the ice filled cooler with Coors, MGD, Bud, and light beers ad nauseum. This is what InBev wants it to be.

I drank this beer last night at the UC in Chicago out of a 16 oz can. When I saw the label, Brewed in the USA I knew I had the imposter in hand. Everyone, I implore you, do not buy InBev products if you can help it. Certainly don't buy Becks USA. Do not support their program to buy breweries, cheapen recipes, and ruin what was otherwise good beer. InBev are a plague on this earth. Becks is their latest outrage to the beer drinker. BOYCOTT THIS BEER!

Serving type: can

02-26-2013 22:09:06 | More by filstan

The21ner

4.28/5  rDev +54.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Unfortunately domestic American beers are a joke. I completely gave up on them. Of the foreign beers, beck's has to be one of my favorites. It has a very classic skunky European smell to it, It's nod bad , just a very distinctive odor. It goes well with food or by itself after a long day. It can be found in most stores in my area and has a very affordable price at $3.49 for a 24 oz bottle. I am surprised to see other comments bashing this beer, i suppose it's a case of love it or hate it. Overall 4.25.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 21:47:35 | More by The21ner

fsimcox

California

3.14/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Pours a clear, transparent straw color. White head dissipates quickly. Some lacing, but not much.

Smells of grass, fresh cut hay, and some faint hop hints. Clean and fresh, but faint.

Tastes of sweet grass, some hop notes, and little sweet in the finish. Perhaps a hint of bitter hops that linger.

Mouthfeel is a little thin, crisp and light, with some carbonation. A dry finish.

Certainly an easy drinking Pils. I think the US version is brewed in St Louis. Go figure. But, not bad.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 20:34:55 | More by fsimcox

Evansbeer

3.65/5  rDev +31.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is a generic German pilsener. If you do not like pilsener, you will hate Becks. Very strong flavor, quite bitter actually. Tastes best a little warmer than most beer 50-60 degrees, which allows the true bitterness to be revealed. Refreshing taste, with moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 17:29:26 | More by Evansbeer

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

3.05/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A- Pours a very light golden color. More of a straw yellow. Almost as clear as water. About a 1.5 finger, frothy, soft head. Head retains fairly well, and goes down to a thin, bubbly lace on top. Lacing is not bad for the style.

S- Typical Euro-pils skunky scent is prominent. Light, grain-like flavors are the only other scent. No hops detectable at all. Sweet scents are secondary and lingering in the background.

T- Much like the scent, but with more of a lingering bite at the end. Somewhat skunky flavor starts it out. Quick transition to very light grainy flavors. From the grains, the beer moves straight into a slight biting flavor that provides a balancing bitterness. It's not hops bitterness, but more dull and contrasts the largely light flavor profile. This bite lingers on the tongue. As in the scent, a slight sweetness persists throughout the drink.

M- Light, highly carbonated, and fluffy on the palate. Frothy head remnants help to provide a smooth drink. Light enough to drink about as fast as you would want. Bitter flavor mentioned previously slows the drinking down a little bit.

Overall, this is better than others I've had in the style, but not by much. The mouthfeel is pretty good for such a light beer. A good change of pace in a lighter drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 23:37:28 | More by boilermakerbrew

jjamadorphd

Florida

3.33/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

This is another one of those beers that I've heard about for years but had my first one just recently.

The appearance was a beautiful shade of gold but it poured a thin head and had little to know lacing. The smell was a good strong odor of malt and barley - appealing but not over powering. Mouthfeel had strong carbonation with good velvety and smooth roll on the tongue. I liked the taste, it was bold, crisp, and better than what I had expected. Not the best beer I've had but good enough.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2013 04:57:13 | More by jjamadorphd

bondjedi

Washington

2.71/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Always a hint of skunkiness to this beer, and just a little too rough. If you can get past a couple of these, it's not a problem. Otherwise, a nice color, kind of crisp, effervescent. Kevin Bacon drank one in "She's Having a Baby," and the beer still retains a 1980s, yuppie vibe.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 18:07:28 | More by bondjedi

stagerlee

Massachusetts

1.13/5  rDev -59.2%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

I just officially drank my last bottle of Becks beer today. I had been drinking Beck's religiously for over 30 years. One year ago they started producing Beck's at the BUD plant in St. Louis. Even though they tried to cover up the change by putting "artsy labels" on the bottles for a while before they put one on that now says "german quality", the taste didn't lie. EVERYTHING is now WRONG. The taste, mouthfeel, ALL WRONG! I bought up whatever REAL Beck's I could find in my area and they are finally gone! It will be a frigid day in hell before I will ever buy BUDWEISER in a BECK'S bottle. As a matter of fact I will go out of my way to make sure I never buy anything INBEV produces PERIOD. I'll make it myself first!!!
WHAT A BUNCH OF GREEDY BOZO'S!!

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 19:22:27 | More by stagerlee

FLima

Brazil

2.98/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a golden color. It didn’t produced much head if not none which dissipated fairly quick. It smells grassy hops and malts. Good carbonation.
Flavor follows nose, mild malty with a hint of grassy hops, which produced a bitter and refreshing feel. Aftertaste is dry and sweet. Regular beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 13:06:37 | More by FLima

Mooseman

1.03/5  rDev -62.8%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

I delivered beer for 30 plus years for a company that handled many many brands.
I sampled them all at one time or another. I finally settled in as being a Beck's fan for quite a long time as well as being the one for the foreseeable future. Well that dramatically changed. I called the number on the back of the bottle twice to vent my dislike of their new product in the same bottle and of course they swore that nothing changed. I'm glad I found this web site because I am still highly bitter over another instance by big business to worship the mighty buck and throw out the quality of a product that I really enjoyed. These companies need to loose market share and their profits for the bone head moves they make. I decided to pick a case up for the Thanksgiving holiday to give it one last shot to make sure it wasn't all in my head. What a mistake; since I stopped drinking it shortly after the change in where it is brewed, the taste of this is horrendous. It's actually worse than a cheap crappy American made beer. I gave it a 1.5 in the appearance department, but that's the highest I can rate it because it really is not worthy compared to what it once was. This is as constructive as I can get so delete my review if you must.
I feel a lot better now that I at least had the chance to type this. I still do wish this stays on this site so my review supports the people here that understand how a good German beer went up in smoke.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 23:04:04 | More by Mooseman

syskim

2.35/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I thought I had bought a bad case of Becks.. it didnt taste right. Then I noticed it was made in the USA? Huh? When did that happen? Anyway, it doesnt taste the same to me now that its brewed here and I'm sorry to say that I'm looking for a different beer for my fridge. It's taste is closer to Busch than Becks. Very disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 01:12:44 | More by syskim

JohnFatAss

New Jersey

2/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Just not that good a beer.
Always seems to have a slight skunky smell, no matter how fresh the bottle.

Grainy taste, with a bitter finish.
Over priced
A lot of people seem to think Becks and Heineken are superior to American beers, but I just don't see it.
Just about anything else is a better choice.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 02:18:31 | More by JohnFatAss

Samp01

New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

330ml bottle. Calabria, Italy. Pours a crystal clear golden yellow with a medium quickly fading white head. Aroma and Taste of lemon citrus fruity flavors, some grainy grassy cereal notes, and light bitterness. Palate is a medium slightly crisp body, with moderate carbonation. Finish is citrus fruity notes, grainy grassy notes, light bitter notes as well. Overall an ok summer time lager.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 20:53:28 | More by Samp01

jagmaster

1.53/5  rDev -44.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

I can't believe InBev destroyed Beck's as we know it (in the USA).I'm sure the Germans are still drinking the real thing.They would pour this swill down the drain!Shame on you InBev! This just proves how stupid and gullible they think we are in America.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 08:59:04 | More by jagmaster

bullwinkle88

Isle of Man

4.03/5  rDev +45.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I love Beck's. Now, granted, I may not have a discerning taste, as I find little difference in the Original vs. Busch version of Beck's. In fact, I have been buying it with more frequency since it's been brewed abroad, but I cannot exactly explain why that is. Point is, I love Beck's, I've always loved Beck's, its not my very favorite beers but when its available at a bar thats all I'll drink for the whole night, and I dont know many other beers i can say that about as I tend to switch it up throughout the night if I'm not pinching pennies. Skunky, but in a good way, crisp, not filling at all. Hell not even as expensive as a comparable beer. I'll take this over Heineken any day of the week and twice on Sundays. This beer serves me well in any setting, out to eat, with an all day BBQ, or just hanging out watching the game. Winter, summer, spring, or fall, Beck's is a beer that I can enjoy. My tastes tend to fluctuate every 5-6 months, but Beck's always gets regular rotation in my fridge. More discerning tastebuds may notice a dip in quality since its buyout, but I can't and I still enjoy the beer for what it is: a very enjoyable, reasonably priced german pilsner.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 02:10:43 | More by bullwinkle88

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

2.63/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I picked this up at Wegman's as part of a mix-a-six, limited edition art bottle label by M.I.A. poured chilled into a mug.

The color is yellow/golden and moderately fast moving carbonation rises with good clarity and thick 2 finger white cap with fine bead that has some lace stickage, retention is good. The smell is very skunky and slightly floral with mild hint of sweet graininess in there but mostly light struck hop scents dominate. The feel is not great as it is highly carbonation like soda or seltzer water with a moderately slick feel and subtle spiced tinges with relatively dry finish.

I found the taste to be average with some diacetyl present which doesn't harm the malt flavor that much, but there is a little vegetal Dms present with a hint of hop spiciness and slight corn-pop like sweetness, the flavor comes and goes and if the aroma was not so skunky that basic flavor would be decent, I blame the green bottle for the hop degradation so in general just a so-so pils. Overall I would not get this beer again based on the skunked smell and it is really sub par in comparison to other pilsners of same style.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 13:55:58 | More by Slatetank

SometimesIfart

Michigan

1.98/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured from a bottle into a lager glass. .Pours a standard medium yellow with a one finger head and no lacing, although carbonation bubbles do continue to rise to the top. The smells is of skunky adjunct and slight rice grain. The taste is fairly bitter. More skunk than anything, following the nose. Along with some slightly cooked veggies and sweet grains. The mouthfeel adds some more sweet grain to the mix, But absolutely nothing else. Overall, It is a party beer only. In the case that you do not mind flavor at all. Other than that, avoid. Now I've never had the " German " version of Beck's, Nor will I ever take a chance with having it. If they still brew this stuff by the " German Purity Law " I think that they should probably stop doing that. What the hell is the law? putting a skunk's ass up to the bottle and letting it shit inside?

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 05:39:22 | More by SometimesIfart

Dave1999

Virginia

1.5/5  rDev -45.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

This is my second review of Becks the first being the German version which I gave a fairly reasonable 3.48.

This review is for the American version:

Poured a thin watery yellow with a big foamy head.

The smell was almost nothing, there was little sweetness and corn.

The taste was sweet corn like. Pretty bad.

The mouth feel was was thin and highly carbonated.

Overall all I can say is Becks has been ruined for all American drinkers. It's basically Bud in a becks can now, terrible. I think there should be separate entries for the American and German Becks as the are essentially different beers.

Serving type: can

08-03-2012 16:46:59 | More by Dave1999

Polecat41

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +58.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I see that the reviewers gave PBR a 72 rating & the Bros an 80 rating. And the reviewers gave Beck's a 67 rating & the Bros a 62 rating. Are you all nuts?!! Beck's now may be owned by InBev & brewed in St. Louis, MO. But I recently called Beck's brewmaster & he assured me that they were still brewing to the German Purity Law, which means they're only using water, barley malt, hops & yeast. I'm sure Pabst isn't doing the same. I know why all of you are rating Pabst higher than Beck's. It has nothing to do with PBR's quality. Rather, it's the "pseudo-hipster's" rating, i.e. "PBR is 'cooler' than Beck's because it doesn't advertise & has the patriotic U.S. colors of red, white & blue." C'mon everyone - get real. No way is PBR better tasting than Beck's. And no, I don't work for Beck's & I'm not German. However, I've brewed my own beers & know a bit of what I'm talking about.

Serving type: can

07-28-2012 19:39:45 | More by Polecat41

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.33/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

275ml Green bottle at 5% and imported into the UK.

Really surprised to find I’d never ’done’ this beer on the web. Becks have been importing into the UK for many, many years, one of the first German breweries to do so since WW11.

Anyway this beer looks the part: clean, clear and bright, typical Pilsner in fact. Drier than a lot of the German Pilsners and certainly well carbonated, one of my minus points about Becks is the uber fizzy nature of the brew once bottled.

A staple German Pilsner that does have a hop taste and a dry finish unlike some of its counterparts.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 20:11:00 | More by BlackHaddock

Lang

1.1/5  rDev -60.3%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Since the Beck's moved browing to the USA, it lost all the characteristics of a good beer. Now it's just another yellow water. I'll never buy it again. Shame on you, Beck's company owners.

I said it all, now I'm typing to fill the required minimum two hundred fifty characters.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 13:34:15 | More by Lang

Rumpole

Massachusetts

1.93/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I am not rigidly opposed to relocating beers so long as it's done properly; the Canadian Guinness Extra really isn't bad even if it isn't quite the same, and I doubt Molson Golden is drastically the worse for being brewed in Ohio.

But Beck's is different. It was by no means the best euro lager out there but for the price it was a reliable go-to for that Euroswill taste.

Up to now, my take was whatever else one thought of ABI, at least they were undeniably competent. Not anymore. One would have thought that having decided to save a buck brewing Beck's stateside, some effort would have gone into making it actually taste like German Beck's. But they didn't even come close; I stongly doubt they bothered to try. It still says it's brewed according to the 1516 German purity law, but I don't believe it; either there's adjunct in there and they're lying through their teeth or they've somehow managed to make an all-malt beer taste like it has adjunct in it, which is almost worse. I taste-tested this against St Pauli Girl, which is still imported from the Bremen brewery, and which is very similar to the old Beck's, maybe somewhat coarser. The St Pauli blew this Beckweiser into the weeds. I didn't even bother finishing it, pouring it down the drain as an auto da fe. I bet even Michelob would kick this pseudo-Beck's keister.

My first ever beer was Beck's Dark. I haven't tried the fake version yet, not sure I want to even if they did a better job with it. ABI owns a lot of brands that are still imported but now one wonders who's next. Spaten? Lowenbrau? I never was one for avoiding a brand because it was a BMC member, but this loss cuts deep. I really will look to independent brands now thanks to this disrespectful gesture by ABI towards its customers; they think we won't know the difference; they think we're stupid.

A shameful and sorrowful loss.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 20:29:17 | More by Rumpole

AdrianRP

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I've read a few reviews of this beer before I began this review, so I will keep it short. Becks, like St. Pauli Girl (in which I always felt was better) has now been 'Americanized'...In short, without getting into a long political rant, is just one more symptom in an ever growing problem that permeates this country. I need not be profane but I AM SICK OF ALL OF IT!! This insane 'all for the dollar attitude' has crossed all lines of morality and decency...its pathetic, and disgusting..YES, I like money like anyone else, and utterly understand its requirement for survival in today's world; but at what price??? Where do you draw the line?

American beer just SUCKS..period, ALL of it for the most with the exception of the overpriced micro breweries..who imo..are making better quality beers these days, but still grossly lack the brewing excellence that has dominated Europe, and more specifically Germany, for over 5 centuries...

This is just another example of the premise as illustrated above. This 'disease' has destroyed St Pauli, Harp, Pilsner Urquel, Guinness...etc..MOST, if not all at one time, QUALITY, highly available beer. Becks has indeed followed suit.

Future generations I'm afraid will NEVER know what a properly crafted beer should taste like...its sad.

Another one bites the dust..This is probably the worst desecration of a once quality brew. It not only tastes like urine..it gives me a headache like a typical Coors product or any other mass produced American beer. If you like German beer, DO NOT BUY THIS!! Its terrible...

Serving type: can

07-07-2012 19:54:06 | More by AdrianRP

Robert4846

3/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A few thoughts from a long-time Becks customer that you will likely lose soon:

-Your new case design is ridiculously hard to open.

-The fact that you no longer put a bottle divider in your case is absurd. I have purchased three cases with broken bottles because of it and once some bottles have been removed, most of the rest of them fall over in the case.

-Please help me with a successful argument that I can use with my wife - she is inrealistic and will not let me collect empty beer bottles with artsy labels - she won't even let me put them on a shelf in our living room.

Too bad . . .

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 20:30:37 | More by Robert4846